Over Our Heads
by CheerUpSleepyJean
Summary: Lazytown is under attack. A dark, magical creature wants the land, and will stop at nothing to drive the humans away. Sportacus and Robbie Rotten, the two magical inhabitants of Lazytown, have to come together to save their home. Even if they succeed, however, will life in Lazytown ever be the same? Rated T for descriptions of body horror.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1  
The children of Lazytown huddled in the corner, trying to keep their heads below the wall and out of the vampire's line of sight.  
"Is he still—"  
"Shh!"  
Even that small noise was enough to catch the monster's attention, and his methodical footsteps changed direction. Pixel gasped involuntarily, prompting another "shhh" from Stingy. The others gave him dirty looks, but their faces turned fearful once again as the footsteps stopped close by. Ziggy tightened his grip on Stephanie's hand enough to make his knuckles turn white as they listened desperately for the vampire's next move.  
No sound came from the other side of the wall.  
"Do you think it's safe?"  
"Boo!"  
The children screamed, for leaning over the short brick wall was the monster himself. The vampire was pale and slender, with vicious fangs poking out of his mouth. He laughed as the kids cowered under his long purple cape.  
"Noisy little children are easy prey for the king of the darkness! If you had only been quiet and lazy, then I wouldn't have to...suck your blood!"  
They shrieked again, but their screams were interrupted by a series of whooshing sounds. The children cheered as a blue blur whirled through the air and landed above them on the wall.  
"Blood isn't very good for you. Here, try some sportscandy!"  
Smiling cheekily, Sportacus pulled a lacrosse stick and a head of garlic from his backpack. In one smooth, he tossed the garlic in the air, caught it with the lacrosse stick, and launched it at the vampire's face. It hit him in his pointy chin, and he stumbled backward. Stephanie let out a whoop as she watched the vampire trip over his own feet and hit the ground.  
"Ow!"  
His fangs slipped out with this exclamation, and the children gasped.  
"Robbie Rotten!"  
"Oh, that guy!"  
Robbie scowled up at Sportacus, his nose twitching.  
"It's bad enough that you haul your disgusting 'sportscandy' all over the place...but did you have to weaponize it?!"  
Sportacus grinned down at the villain. With a flip, he jumped off of the wall and landed in front of Robbie.  
"Sorry, Robbie! Are you okay?"  
The children looked on, amused, as the hero pulled Robbie to his feet. He wiggled out of Sportacus's grip and began brushing himself off, wincing as his fingers grazed his tender jaw. Ziggy winced in sympathy. Suddenly, his eyes lit up with an idea.  
"Hey Robbie! If your chin hurts, maybe Sportacus can kiss it better!"  
The other kids burst out laughing as Robbie turned bright red. With a swish of his cape, he stomped off, muttering to himself. Sportacus followed Robbie with his eyes until the villain had strode out of sight, then shook his head and turned back to the children. They were still giggling, confusing Ziggy even further.  
"What? That's what my mommy does when I get hurt."  
"We'll explain when you're older."  
Trixie winked dramatically at Stephanie, starting a whole new round of giggles. Sportacus, his face just the slightest bit pink, pulled a soccer ball from his backpack.  
"Who's up for a game? We should have time for one more before it gets dark!"  
"Ooh! I am!"  
"Yay!"  
They laughed as they played under the orange sky, still full of energy. Trixie was somehow even wilder than earlier, which was reflected in play. Eventually, she managed to kick the ball over the park wall, and it rolled into the woods.  
"Aw, Trixie!"  
"Heh, sorry for being too good at this game!"  
Sportsacus gave her an admonishing look. She wrinkled her brow, but relented.  
"Ok, ok. I'm sorry I lost the ball."  
"That's better. Stingy, would you please see if you can find it?"  
The boy stuck his nose in the air.  
"Of course I can find MY property."  
With a warning from Sportacus not to stray too far from town, Stingy set off into the trees.  
"Let's see...it couldn't have rolled too far..."  
Stingy mumbled to himself as he strode deeper and deeper into the forest.  
"Aha!"  
Triumphantly, he lifted the ball from its resting place between a few tree roots. He began to turn away from the tree, but froze.  
Something was different.  
It was subtle, just a change in the smell of the air, a faint whiff of something earthy. Yet, it was enough to make Stingy's skin crawl. He turned his head slowly.  
A woman was standing behind him. She was beautiful in a sharp, intimidating way, like a delicate flower surrounded by thorns; her severe features and her knee-length hair were striking, but what drew his attention were her gleaming moss green eyes. Stingy shivered, but steeled himself enough to speak.  
"Excuse me madam, are you lost?"  
She smirked, revealing needle-like teeth, but said nothing. He tried again.  
"M-madam, do you need help getting to Lazytown?"  
"Lazytown...is that what they call it?"  
The woman's expression soured. When she spoke again, her voice was as harsh as grinding stones.  
"Disgusting."  
"Excuse me?!"  
Stingy was aghast; his fears slipped from his mind.  
"How dare you say such mean things about MY town!"  
"YOUR town?"  
In a flash, she had Stingy by the collar and pinned him against a tree. He felt her long, cold nails against his throat and her hot breath on his face as she snarled.  
"Human scum like you has no right to this land!"  
With every word, her features seemed to grow sharper. She tightened her grip around Stingy's neck; his vision went spotty, and the blood rushing through his head drowned out every sound.  
Suddenly, a familiar beeping noise rang through the forest.  
"Let him go!"  
Sportacus ran frantically toward the woman and the child, but stopped short. A tufted tail was peeking out from underneath her dress. His breath caught in his throat.  
"Skogsfru...!"  
She snapped her piercing gaze toward Sportacus.  
"Íþróttaálfur."  
The woman released Stingy from her vice-like grip, and he fell to the ground, sputtering. As she turned to face Sportacus, a tree root burst from the ground and wrapped around the boy's waist, making him gasp for air again.  
"If you wish this worm to live to see tomorrow, I suggest you stay back."  
"Why are you doing this?"  
Sportacus managed to keep his voice steady, but he couldn't look away from Stingy's face, twisted in terror. The skogsfru growled. She seized his face and forced him to meet her eyes.  
"Humans are like rats! They spread their filth over the land that belongs to the huldufólk—to our ancestors."  
The hero swallowed hard, but maintained his composure.  
"The Íþróttaálfur Council made a declaration long ago that human territory cannot be seized—"  
"I care not about their rules!"  
She dug her fingernails in harder, and droplets of blood began to trickle down Sportacus's neck.  
"You have betrayed this blood in your veins. I do not acknowledge the laws of traitors, nor the wants of vermin. This land belongs to the huldufólk."  
The skogsfru released Sportacus, and he stumbled back, but quickly regained his balance. She smiled maliciously as he charged toward her.  
"It belongs to me."  
The roots by her feet parted, and she disappeared under the soil. Sportacus felt the ground ripple, and watched in horror as more roots began bursting out of the dirt to wrap around Stingy.  
"No!"  
He rushed to the boy's side and tore at the thick bonds, but they refused to yield. Stingy was barely visible through the cage of tangled roots. So intent on his task, Sportacus didn't consciously notice that the skogsfru's earthy scent had faded, nor that the smell of cane sugar had replaced it.  
Tendrils of mist gathered around Stingy's prison. Sensing the movement, Sportacus glanced up from his task. He found that, directly across from him, the mist was becoming denser and denser.  
All of a sudden, it condensed into a pair of stormy grey eyes.  
The eyes focused on him briefly, and he could see his own shocked expression reflected in the irises. He watched as the eyes flashed purple before fading back into mist.  
The hero forced himself to return to his task, but when he looked down again, his jaw dropped. Streaks of the same mist were flowing out between the tangled roots, and Stingy was gone. Sportacus stumbled to his feet. Not daring to look back, he dashed out of the forest, his mind still struggling to process what he had just seen.  
For a split second, he had been face-to-face with Robbie Rotten.

 **A/N: Quick definitions of the folkloric terms used in this chapter** **  
** **Skogsfru—female forest spirit** **  
** **Íþróttaálfur—sports elf, a general species name (Íþróttaálfurinn is a specific designation)** **  
** **Huldufólk—"the hidden people," a general term for a magical being**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Then, the mugger grabbed my neck!"  
Inside the mayor's office, the kids sat huddled around Stingy, waiting with baited breath to hear what had happened. Sportacus looked on from behind Mayor Meanswell, lost in thought.  
"...so I started to feel weird, and I couldn't really hear or see too well. I know Sportacus was there, though! Anyway, I think I was tied up—really tightly too! It almost felt like I was being squeezed by a snake."  
Stingy scratched his head.  
"And I can't really remember anything after that."  
Pixel glanced at his friend's bruised neck and nodded slowly.  
"Oxygen depravation can lead to unconsciousness. You probably blacked out, Stingy."  
"Well anyway, I remember lying on the ground outside the woods, so I guess Sportacus rescued me."  
Ziggy bounced excitedly.  
"Of course it was Sportacus! Who else would it be?"  
The blond boy stood up and hugged the hero's leg, pulling Sportacus from his thoughts.  
"Thank you for saving Stingy!"  
The other children chorused their gratitude as well, and even the mayor stood to shake his hand. Sportacus struggled to keep a strained smile on his face as the children filed out of the office, heading to their respective homes. When the last child finally left, Sportacus let his face fall and heaved a sigh.  
"Sportacus? Is something the matter?"  
The hero slowly turned to face Milford.  
"Mayor Meanswell, I...I think we should all be taking this more seriously."  
"Whatever do you mean?"  
Sportacus hesitated to respond, struggling to find the right words.  
"Well, Stingy got hurt—"  
"Oh, but you saved him in the end! And I'm confident that this mystery mugger won't be around again now that she's seen you!"  
Milford reached up and put his hand on Sportacus's shoulder.  
"And even if she does return, I have confidence in you. I know you'll keep us safe."  
Sportacus opened his mouth, but couldn't think of anything to say. He simply forced another smile and jogged out of town hall, his mind racing even faster than his feet. Finally, Sportacus skittered to a stop underneath his airship.  
"Ladder!"  
The ship obeyed, and within seconds, he had reached the ship.  
"Sportacus, it is is past 8:08. Is something wrong?"  
Without stopping to catch his breath, the elf leapt into the cockpit and scanned Lazytown desperately.  
"Ship, direct sensors toward the forest! If anything comes out of there, I need to know immediately!"  
"Redirecting sensors. Sportacus, it would help if I knew what to look for."  
His adrenaline rush gone, he sighed and slouched in the pilot seat.  
"It's a skogsfru. She...she wants Lazytown."  
Sportacus rested his weary head in his hands.  
"And the townsfolk don't even know they're in danger! I can't explain it to them without breaking the law—and even if I could tell them about the skogsfru, what could they do? Human police wouldn't stand a chance!"  
"Do you want me to call the Íþróttaálfur Council, Sportacus? Perhaps they can send help."  
He slowly shook his head.  
"The infighting about land ownership has gotten terrible, what with so much human expansion in recent years. The skogsfru claimed she used to own this whole area—they're more likely to side with her than with Lazytown."  
"Are you sure that this skogsfru is wrong in claiming the land?"  
"I don't know—I don't care!"  
Sportacus stood and started doing jumping jacks, too agitated to stay still.  
"It's about more than just the land, I think. She was saying awful things about humans—she hurt one of the kids! If it weren't for Robbie..."  
He came to a dead halt.  
"Robbie!"  
"Sportacus, are you referring to Robbie Rotten?"  
"Yes!"  
With his eyes squeezed shut, the elf tried to visualize the scene from earlier, hoping to recall any hints that were present.  
"It was after the skogsfru left. There was a cloud of mist, and then all of a sudden, Robbie was in front of me—but just for a second! And when he disappeared, he took Stingy with him!"  
Sportacus's eyes snapped opened.  
"I think...I think Robbie is a huldrekall."  
A heavy silence fell, and dragged on for several minutes. Finally, the ship's AI piped up.  
"That is plausible."  
"I have to talk to him! Maybe he can help!"  
"That is less plausible. Sportacus, Robbie Rotten is a self-proclaimed villain."  
Sportacus stared harshly into the camera "eye" of his airship.  
"Robbie saved Stingy today—I don't understand exactly how, but he did. I know that he's a good person at heart."  
He waited, but no reply came. Sportacus sighed.  
"Ship, bed. Wake me if you sense movement from the forest, or if you see Robbie Rotten."  
Sportacus laid himself down, but with his thoughts in turmoil, it would be several more hours until he managed to fall asleep.  
Far below the airship, Robbie stomped back and forth through his lair.  
"What the HELL was I thinking?! I let the blue elf see me do magic!"  
As the echo of his shouts faded, he finally slumped in his recliner.  
"The ELF. The one in a council with other flipping kangaroos who don't like huldufólk messing around with humans. Though of course, it's FINE for elves to interfere, and make kids be healthy and active and LOUD!"  
Robbie stuck out his lower lip, pouting. After a moment, his expression became fearful.  
"What if he starts thinking I'm a real threat now? No, no, he's never taken me seriously before."  
He chewed nervously on his thumb, muffling his words.  
"But he knows I can do magic. And I stopped him from doing...whatever he was doing to that kid. God, he actually hurt one of the kids! He'll have no problem killing ME!"  
Whimpering, Robbie rolled over and buried his face into the chair's orange fur. The villain stayed in that uncomfortable position for nearly an hour, trying desperately to get his anxiety under control. He finally managed to slow his breathing, and curled his long, lean body into a more comfortable position on the recliner.  
"I'll just have to stay undercover. He doesn't know where my lair is, so maybe I can stay safe long enough for him to give up...maybe."  
With that, Robbie began to succumb to his exhaustion, but before he fell asleep, he let out one more miserable mutter.  
"And I was starting to like him, too."

The elven crystal blared, and Sportacus awoke with a start. He was drenched in his own cold sweat, and his mind echoed with fragments of his nightmares. Worse, the whole airship reeked with an unpleasant earthy oder. Sportacus got out of bed shakily.  
"Ship, time?"  
"It is 4:36, Sportacus. I have sensed no movement from the forest."  
"Well, you missed something!"  
The hero snatched up his crystal and rushed to the trapdoor of the airship, nearly forgetting to grab his signature blue hat. Once he hit the ground, Sportacus shoved the hat over his pointed ears and began a mad dash to Pixel's house.  
Finally, the elf skittered to a stop in front of the door, breathing hard. He rattled the knob frantically, but it locked. Sportacus nearly screamed in frustration, but managed to take a deep breath and started pounding on the door.  
"Sportacus?!"  
"Pixel! Are you ok?"  
The boy leaned farther out of his bedroom window and squinted at Sportacus.  
"Um, yeah, I'm fine. Is something wrong?"  
"I don't know, my crystal went off!"  
He held up the flashing object so Pixel could see. The boy winced at the bright light.  
"Hang on, I'll open the door for you."  
The moment Pixel pulled his head back into his room, the crystal's flashing grew brighter, and it began beeping again.  
"NO!"  
Pixel's face reappeared in the window.  
"What? Why?"  
"Just stay there, Pixel! Don't move!"  
Sportacus scanned the yard frantically, and noticed a rake on the ground. He seized it and threw it toward Pixel's window. The angled prongs caught the edge of the frame, causing the handle to hang below. With a running start, Sportacus managed to leap high enough to grasp the handle; using his upper body strength, he began pulling his body up the handle. The action dislodged the rake, and it hit to the ground just as Sportacus managed to grab the window frame and pull himself up into the room.  
"Do you have a flashlight?"  
Pixel's mouth was hanging open, but he had enough presence of mind to snatch his wristwatch off of the nightstand and switch on the attached LED penlight. Wordlessly, Sportacus took the watch and shone the light over the bedroom floor.  
Shards of glass covered every inch.  
Shaking slightly, Pixel clutched at the hero's forearm and pulled it so that the light in his hand was directed toward the desk.  
"My computers!"  
Sure enough, not a single monitor had a screen. Pixel just stared for a solid minute at the destruction. When he finally spoke, he was tripping over the words.  
"H-how could this happen? I mean, what shattered them—all of them at once! And it didn't wake me up?!"  
The boy wrapped his arms around himself and rocked back and forth on bed, in shock from the damage to his refuge. Sportacus forced himself to look away from the hazard on the floor; he had a child to attend to.  
"Pixel, I'm wearing shoes. Is it ok if I pick you up and carry you over the floor?"  
It took him a moment to respond, but he managed a nod. Sportacus gently wrapped his arms around the boy and lifted him off the bed. In just three long strides, the elf crossed the room and after checking for glass, carefully set Pixel down in the doorway.  
"Can you wake your parents and tell them what's wrong with your room? I really need to go check on the others."  
His short legs trembling, Pixel ran down the dark hallway. Once Sportacus was sure the adults of the house were awake, he dashed out of the house and into town.

 **A/N: Quick definitions of the folkloric terms used in this chapter  
Skogsfru—female forest spirit  
Íþróttaálfur—sports elf, a general species name (Íþróttaálfurinn is a specific designation)  
Hulderkall—a male member of the huldufólk (a female is called a huldra)**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3  
By sunrise, Sportacus had run himself ragged. Every time he dared let himself think the town was finally safe, his crystal would beep again, and he'd have to run back to one of the houses; in the last hour alone, Ziggy came close to burning himself on his own sweets, which had mysteriously boiled in their wrappers, and Trixie had nearly sleepwalked into an open manhole.  
Between these mad dashes, Sportacus stopped at the park and hacked at the vines choking the children's sports equipment. His progress never lasted, however. Like a hydra, numerous new vines grew to replace whatever he managed to cut.  
During his forth trip to the park, the crystal blared yet again. Sportacus buried his head in his dirty hands, but he managed to stumble to his feet and run to the mayor's house. The window was wide open, and he spotted the residents in the kitchen. Without bothering to knock, he rushed inside.  
"Stephanie? Mayor? Is—"  
The elf stopped short. Stephanie stood in the corner of the room, her arms held stiffly away from her body. When Sportacus stepped closer, he could see that her skin was covered in red, angry splotches. In the center of each was a needle-like thorn. The girl's eyes were rimmed with red as well, but she stood as still as possible so not to drive the thorns in deeper.  
"Stephanie..."  
Milford, who was gingerly removing thorns with a pair of tweezers and throwing them into a garbage bag, could only spare Sportacus a quick glance.  
"She woke up like this. Her bed is full of burrs."  
He gestured to another pair of tweezers on the counter. Sportacus took them up wordlessly and began working alongside the mayor. Even between the two of them, it took almost an hour to meticulously remove every thorn. Finally, Stephanie could sink to the floor and let her tears flow.  
"Can you stay with her for a moment? I'm going to ask Ms. Busybody to come over and help Stephanie take a bath."  
Sportacus nodded numbly and turned back to the girl. Not daring to lay a finger on her irritated skin, he just stroked her pink hair in the hopes that it would provide some comfort.  
"I'm sorry, Stephanie. I'm so sorry."  
She couldn't even acknowledge the apology, too distracted by the pain.  
The Mayor returned with Bessie, and Sportacus gently took the tip of Stephanie's finger and led her upstairs to the bath. As Bessie poured soothing bath salts into the warm water, the two men put on the mayor's thickest gardening gloves, lifted the girl's bedding off its frame, and took it outside to shake off the burrs.  
"Sportacus, what's happening?"  
The elf bit his lip, but didn't answer. Milford let out a shaky breath and returned to the task at hand, keeping his gaze off of Sportacus. Each lost in his own thoughts, neither man noticed a blue periscope retracting into the ground nearby.  
Late in the afternoon, Milford finally waved the hero away, unable to look at him any longer. Shoulders slumped, Sportacus trudged back to the park. His dragging feet caught on something, and he stumbled. Letting out a groan, Sportacus turned to examine the culprit.  
It was a vine. A dead vine.  
He turned his head and was bewildered to see that the vines that had covered the park were lying on the ground, rotting away. A strong scent filled his nostrils: cane sugar.  
"Robbie?"  
"It...it isn't you?"  
Suddenly, the villain was standing in the middle of the park, surrounded by his handiwork.  
"You aren't the one hurting those kids?"  
"What?! Of course not!"  
All of Sportacus's pent-up frustration came bursting forth.  
"How could you even think that?! How could you?! I would never hurt anyone in Lazytown—that's your job, isn't it?!"  
Robbie usually towered over the elf, but he found himself buckling under the harsh words. When Sportacus stopped to catch his breath, he realized that Robbie was nearly bent double in front of him, cringing in fear. Something deep inside his chest ached.  
"Robbie...oh gods, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry!"  
Sportacus's voice wavered, and he was surprised to find that tears were rolling down his face along with the droplets of sweat.  
"I just—I can't do this! Everybody's in trouble at once, and they expect me to be able to protect them all, but I just can't!"  
He buried his face in his hands.  
"And they're getting hurt—the children are getting hurt—and it's because I've failed them."  
Robbie slowly straightened up, utterly shocked at the state of the hero. Tentative, he crept toward Sportacus.  
"Um, I don't really understand what's going on, but if you aren't the one going after the townsfolk—and I believe you when you say you aren't!—then it's not really your fault, ok?"  
"But—"  
"No, this isn't up for debate. Don't try to take responsibility for someone's else's actions. Be lazy for once, won't you?"  
Sportacus chuckled despite himself, but his face soon fell again. Robbie furrowed his brow; it was just too weird to see the blue kangaroo without a smile.  
"Desperate times call for desperate measures..."  
The villain took another step forward and awkwardly reached out a hand. He had been aiming for Sportacus's shoulder, but panicked at the last minute and wound up lightly patting the top of his head. The elf uncovered his face, confused. Robbie wore an embarrassed look.  
"This...this isn't comforting at all, is it?"  
Sportacus's eyes lit up with understanding. He reached up and plucked Robbie's hand off of his head, but didn't let go.  
"I appreciate it, Robbie. I'm sorry I yelled at you."  
"Yeah, you are SCARY when you're angry."  
The hero's face threatened to fall again, and Robbie quickly tried to fix his mistake.  
"I mean, I'm just relieved that you're, you know, what I thought you were. All warm-hearted and kind and everything. Not because I was upset or anything, it's just that evil really wouldn't suit you."  
Suddenly extremely conscious of Sportacus's hand holding his, Robbie cleared his throat.  
"So, what is actually causing all this?"  
"A skogsfru: a hulder from the forest. She wants Lazytown as her territory, and she won't back down—unless maybe someone else magical claims the town."  
"What's the problem, then? You've practically adopted Lazytown."  
Sportacus's grip got noticeably tighter. He had to force himself to meet Robbie's eyes.  
"The íþróttaálfur heroes have to be nomadic. I can't claim anything."  
"You mean—"  
"It would have to be you."  
Robbie's breath caught in his throat. He opened his mouth, but not a single word could escape.  
This wasn't his role.  
Sportacus, worried that the silence meant refusal, tried to fill the empty air.  
"You saved Stingy's life yesterday; I know you care about everyone as much as I do, even if you don't like to admit it, and they really need your help right now. I need your help, I can't do this—"  
"Alone?"  
Letting his grip on Sportacus's hand be his lifeline, Robbie hauled himself out of his panicked state. His voice returned to his throat.  
"Would I have to face her alone? Fight her alone?"  
"No, no! Robbie, listen to me."  
Sportacus gently but firmly took Robbie's chin in his free hand and directed it so their eyes would meet.  
"I doubt it'll even come to a fight. If we can make the skogsfru think that a hulderkall owns this land, she'll stop bothering the humans. I'll be with you the entire time, and if it does come to violence, I'll fight in your stead. I promise, you won't have to do this by yourself."  
"Well...then neither will you."  
Squaring his shoulders, Robbie forced himself to answer before he changed his mind.  
"I'm in."  
"In for what?"  
Both hulderkall whipped around to see Mayor Meanswell standing behind the low brick wall that bordered the park. Robbie hastily stepped away from Sportacus; the elf in question was staring down at his shoes. Neither even tried to respond. Sighing heavily, Milford slumped over the wall.  
"If either of you know what's going on, please, don't keep it a secret. There's a town meeting tonight, and I still don't have any answers. If I show up empty-handed, they'll go into a panic for sure. Please, just speak to me..."  
He trailed off, looking utterly defeated. Sportacus felt sick. The feeling of helplessness was too familiar to ignore.  
"You're right. It's not fair of us to keep you in the dark."  
"Sporta—"  
The hero raised a hand, cutting Robbie off. He stepped closer to the Mayor, bending down so he could look the human in the eye.  
"The keeper of forest that borders this town is causing chaos to drive the townsfolk off of this land. She wants Lazytown for herself."  
"So, this person has been...what, invading our homes? That doesn't make any sense! How did she do all of this damage?"  
"She's not a person—not in the way you're thinking. My race call her 'skogsfru.'"  
Looking into Sportacus's eyes, Milford suddenly felt that he was in over his head. Nevertheless, he pressed on.  
"What you mean, 'your race?'"  
"I am íþróttaálfur."  
Sportacus received a blank look. He took a deep breath and buried his fingers in the fabric of his hat.  
"In English, I think you would call me an elf."  
He ripped the hat off; fluffy blond hair tumbled out and settled around his long, pointed ears. The mayor felt like his mind was breaking. Had he fallen down the rabbit hole? Or had something crawled up into his world? Suddenly realizing that he had forgotten to breathe, Milford gasped for air. Sportacus grabbed his shoulder to steady him.  
"Mayor Meanswell breathe! It's ok, it's still me. We're still us."  
The mayor remembered Robbie, and turned his attention to the taller man, who wriggled uncomfortably under his gaze.  
"Don't look at me, my ears are perfectly normal!"  
"Robbie..."  
Sportacus sighed and turned back to the mayor.  
"Robbie is magical too. He's going to challenge the skogsfru for Lazytown—just to keep her away! We don't want the land. Is...is this ok?"  
Milford took a deep breath. He was acutely aware of the fact that he didn't fully understand the situation, and that he probably never would. He did, however, trust Sportacus.  
"I have confidence in you. Please, save Lazytown."

 **A/N: Quick definitions of the folkloric terms used in this chapter  
Skogsfru—female forest spirit  
Íþróttaálfur—sports elf, a general species name (Íþróttaálfurinn is a specific designation)  
Hulderkall—a male member of the huldufólk (a female is called a huldra)**


	4. Chapter 4

Sportacus stared down at the town from his airship. The sky was stained red from the rising sun, bathing the land in its unearthly glow. Even from the great height, he could see the townsfolk gathered in the square. They were waiting for him and Robbie to make an appearance.  
When Sportacus had let Mayor Meanswell tell the town about the situation, he hadn't considered that they would want to see him as an elf. Yet here he was, with his leather breastplate inscribed with runes and his pointed ears exposed to the air. Sportacus took a deep breath, and dropped into the center of town, landing on his feet in front of Stephanie.  
The girl looked up at her hero, trembling slightly. Although she had always looked up to Sportacus, Stephanie had never felt intimidated by him; the hero had always acted more like a big brother than a proper authority figure. Standing before Sportacus now, however, felt like teetering on the edge of a gigantic cliff.  
"Stephanie?"  
She looked into his eyes, and suddenly, he was the Sportacus she knew again. Suddenly, she threw her arms around his middle.  
"Promise me you'll be ok."  
"Oh Stephanie, don't worry! If all goes well, it won't even come to fighting. I'm only dressed like this for the sake of following tradition."  
Sportacus gave her a tight squeeze.  
"I promise, everything will be ok."  
She took a deep breath and nodded wordlessly. Sportacus gave her a smile before turning his attention to the horizon.  
"Has anyone seen Robbie yet? We need to get moving!"  
"I'm here!"  
Wearing a silky purple bathrobe, Robbie shuffled awkwardly up to the crowd. He shivered slightly, and Sportacus noticed that his feet were bare.  
"Did you have to schedule this so early? Not all of us are morning people, Sportaloon!"  
Sportacus chuckled despite himself, but the kids were frowning. Ziggy and Trixie swarmed around the villain.  
"Robbie! Why aren't you all dressed up like Sportacus is?"  
"What, were you too lazy?!"  
The taller man harrumphed.  
"For your information, Tricky, I am dressed! I just...I just wanted to wear my robe too!"  
"Then show us!"  
Robbie tried to hide behind a scowl, but Sportacus noticed that his face was red. He swiftly intervened.  
"Very sensible, Robbie! It's a bit chilly this morning."  
He place his hands on Ziggy and Trixie's shoulders and directed them back to where the others were standing.  
"We have to go now, but perhaps if you ask nicely, Robbie will tell you about his culture later."  
The elf took Robbie's bicep and began striding away from the crowd, which broke out into smatterings of nervous applause. As soon as they were out of earshot, Robbie wiggled out of his grip.  
"Thanks."  
"Of course, Robbie. I understand—I was a bit nervous about showing the town my elf side, too."  
Robbie hiked up his shoulders, looking embarrassed.  
"I don't care about that—it's the clothes themselves! There is skin showing that hasn't seen the light of day since before I learned to dress myself!"  
Unconsciously, Sportacus's eyes strayed to the sliver of chest showing through the part in the robe. Robbie followed his gaze; his hands flew to seize the robe and wrap it tighter around himself, but he stopped mid-tug.  
"You win, Sportanosy. You're going to see anyway, so I might as well get it over with."  
"I didn't mean to—"  
The villain held up a hand. Like an actor preparing for his big reveal, he stood tall and removed the robe with a dramatic flourish. Robbie wore nothing but a skirt of leaves and grass, cut above the knee to reveal his lean legs. His chest was bare aside from painstakingly-painted runes. Even with all of that smooth skin showing, however, Sportacus couldn't tear his eyes from the most gorgeous feature of all: Robbie's wings. They somehow looked both incredibly delicate and impossibly strong, and they tinted the early sunlight a deep purple as it shone through them.  
"Y-you're a faery! Gods, Robbie...they're incredible!"  
Robbie's shoulders rose nearly to his ears, but he looked pleased.  
"You really think so?"  
"Of course!"  
The villain swatted at Sportacus bashfully, and the elf grinned. Robbie's unique mannerisms were comfortingly familiar.  
"Well, I wouldn't know! I haven't been around any other faeries since I was a toddler!"  
"Really?"  
A frown replaced the smile on Sportacus's face as he mulled this over.  
"Robbie, don't your people usually stay in their courts?"  
"Eh, only full-blooded faeries."  
Sportacus froze in his tracks, causing Robbie to nearly crashed into him.  
"Hey, why'd you stop? You were the one rushing us just a minute ago!"  
"Robbie, run."  
"What?"  
"Run!"  
A sickening earthy stench flowed into Sportacus's nose and throat. With great effort, he managed to choke out a warning.  
"Get out of here! She'll kill you! You're—"  
"Part human."  
Both men spun around to see the skogsfru rising from beneath the soil. Her features were twisted in disgust.  
"You dare to bring this half-breed before me? You dare to say that this filth has any right to this land?!"  
Robbie felt her dark gaze pierce his soul. He fell to his knees, her cruel voice ripping through his mind.  
 _Disgusting._  
 _Shameful._  
 _Worthless._  
 _Unclean._  
 _Unclean!_  
 _UNCLEAN!_  
"That's enough!"  
The voice suddenly fell silent, and Robbie managed to look up. Sportacus had moved to stand between him and the skogsfru. She looked at the hero scornfully, but he didn't back down.  
"Stop hurting Robbie! I brought him before you! I'm the one who's responsible—and I'm the one who will keep him safe!"  
With a flick of his fingers, he unsheathed sharp claws.  
"On behalf of Robbie Rotten, I challenge your claim to Lazytown!"  
With those words, the ground began to shake. Suddenly, columns of dirt shot up from the ground, roiling and raging. Tangles of flexible roots held the earth into grotesque, not quite human shapes. With a sickening squelch, one unstuck its arm from its side and grabbed at Robbie.  
"Gaaah!"  
"Robbie!"  
Sportacus leapt into the air, flipping just over the heads of the golems. He landed unsteadily behind his friend, and almost fell when the earth shifted again. Robbie stumbled backward, and Sportacus caught him around the waist. With one swift movement, he lifted Robbie off the raging ground and threw him. The fae landed hard, but Sportacus was relieved to see that he was outside of the skogsfru's radius of power.  
Then the golems converged on him, and he could no longer see anything past their bulky bodies.  
Their features began to mush together as they encircled Sportacus, and he suddenly found himself neck-deep in the swirling mud and choking vines. He couldn't move a muscle due to the sheer weight of the ooze, nor even take a deep breath with pressure on his chest; Sportacus strained to keep his head up as the golems threatened to fill his mouth, his nose, every orifice with the thick, suffocating earth.  
"Too easy."  
The sound was muffled, but Sportacus's pointed ears could just barely capture the skogfru's smug statement, as well as Robbie's terrified shriek.  
"Get away from me!"  
"You are in no position to be making demands, half-breed. Now be still, or it will be even more painful when I end your worthless life."  
"No! Sportacus!"  
"Quiet!"  
"HELP!"  
With Robbie's cry, something deep inside Sportacus snapped.

 **A/N: Quick definitions of the folkloric terms used in this chapter**

 **Skogsfru—female forest spirit**

 **Íþróttaálfur—sports elf, a general species name (Íþróttaálfurinn is a specific designation)**

 **Hulderkall—a male member of the huldufólk (a female is called a huldra)**


	5. Chapter 5

Pinpricks of cold blue light pierced through the mud, and every bit of moisture in the mud rapidly turned to ice. Sportacus burst through the side of the mound, causing brittle shards to fly everywhere. Before they could even land, he had pounced on the skogsfru.  
"Filthy traitor! Do not touch me!"  
A root shot out from the ground and tore Sportacus off of her. The elf landed on his hands and knees in front of Robbie.  
"Sportacus, are you—"  
Robbie's voice fled from his throat; the hero's claws were longer than ever, and his pointed teeth were bared. Most unnerving of all, the blue eyes Robbie knew so well were gone, drowned in inky black. The cold, midnight-colored eyes pierced his own, and Robbie felt a shiver run down his spine.  
Mercifully, Sportacus turned back toward the skogsfru. A guttural growl sounded from his throat. The skogsfru's own dark eyes widened, but only briefly. With a twitch of her tail, the melting pile of mud began contorting itself back into a vaguely humanoid shape, much larger than before.  
Sportacus leapt from all fours, but the golem shot out a thick arm and knocked him out of the air. The elf landed hard, and even from a distance, Robbie could see blood trickling through his blond hair. Undeterred, Sportacus struck with his claws. The golem's mouth contorted into a silent scream, but the marks Sportacus had left were quickly filled in by the dirt. Another strike dislodged the golem's arm from its body, but roots from the stump shot out and reconnected the limb.  
Paralyzed with fear, Robbie watched the two creatures attack each other without relent. Every injury Sportacus managed to inflict upon the giant golem disappeared inside the churning mass of mud. He was wearing out; more and more of the golem's heavy swings were landing. Robbie could practically feel every harsh blow.  
"I-I have to do something!"  
Screwing up his courage, Robbie snapped his fingers.  
Nothing happened. Sportacus continued the fruitless fight, but he was bleeding profusely from the wounds on his head.  
"Come on, come on, I have to have SOMETHING that can help! For Sportacus!"  
He tried over and over again, but got the same result.  
"None of my little tricks are working against this thing!"  
Robbie's eyes squeezed shut, and he clenched his fists.  
"She's right. I really am worthless..."  
Robbie's mind screamed, begging for any scrap of power to come forth. As he stood, tension wracking his body, a few sparks began to fly between his fingers.  
 _No, more!  
_ The tiny sparks brightened.  
 _More!_  
They elongated.  
 _MORE!_  
An explosion rocked the Huldufólk to their cores. The skogsfru fell to her knees, causing the golem to stop short, one earthen fist raised above Sportacus's head. The elf got on all fours and hastily loped away. Within seconds, the skogsfru reestablished her connection with the golem, and it began lumbering after Sportacus.  
"Ha! You're not going anywhere, you...you gross blob!"  
Robbie shot into the air, sparks flying in his wake. With just a flick of his fingers, a gigantic bolt of lightening flew at the golem. In an instant, it was nothing more than a mud splatter. The skogsfru staggered back.  
"This is more like it!"  
A giant grin on his face, Robbie sent a blast at the ground, scorching the earth.  
"Am I good enough for you now?!"  
The skogsfru tried to raise another golem from the hardened earth, but it immediately crumbled. With a guttural growl, she flexed her fingers, and more roots burst through the brittle ground.  
"Who's worthless now?!"  
The roots surged toward Robbie, but he didn't even flinch. The fae flapped harder and soared above the battlefield, letting sparks fly haphazardly. Before long, the skogsfru's roots were all aflame. Robbie's smile widened.  
"WHO'S WORTHLESS NOW?!"  
The skogsfru stared up at the fae in horror. Robbie's eyes were blazing with a bright purple light, and every beat of his wings generated more sparks. Her gaze snapped to his hands, and she did a double-take. Underneath the sparks, his skin was turning black and his flesh shriveling.  
Robbie was rotting.  
The sound of crackling electricity brought the skogsfru back to reality, and she jumped back just before another bolt of electricity struck the ground. Above her head, the fae cackled, blissfully unaware that his body was betraying him. Despite everything, she smirked; idhe kept overusing his powers, the battle was as good as won.  
Muttering a charm, the skogsfru shot a hand into her sleeve and withdrew a pouch of dust. With one smooth gesture, she cast it into the wind. The particles flew to the trees nearby, and embedded themselves in the bark. Seconds later, the branches began to wriggle and writhe of their own accord.  
Even his vantage point in the air, Robbie could barely see outside the clearing due to the sheer amount of branches reaching toward inside. He scanned the ground for the skogsfru, just in time to see her shoot into soil; the brittle dirt splintered as she left the battlefield. Intent on tracking his opponent, Robbie didn't see a gargantuan branch raise up behind him.  
He certainty felt it, however, when it came crashing down on his back.  
"Aaaaugh!"  
The blow slammed his wings into his back, folding them painfully in half, and Robbie tumbled to the ground. The impact made his ears ring, but he peeled his face off the dirt and forced his eyes open. Another branch was striking down at his head. The fae let out a strangled scream and rolled, just in time to avoid the impact. Shakily, he got to his feet.  
"I am NOT dying to a damn tree!"  
Robbie clenched his blackened fists, summoning a bolt of lightning in each hand. As another branch shifted overhead, he threw them into the air, letting sparks fly haphazardly. Within seconds, the surrounding trees had gone up in flames, and the rot had crept even further up Robbie's arms.  
"Feel that, skogsfru?! Come back and face me, you coward!"  
He took to the air and let electricity burst out of his body in all directions like a plasma globe, and every tree in its path, be it enchanted or defenseless, exploded into splinters. Robbie's veins and arteries, filling with blackened, congealing blood, were now stark against the deathly pallor of his skin.  
"You're as weak as a _human_ , now!"  
Jet hair standing on end, the fae swooped over the destruction he had wrought and laughed hysterically.  
"I am the most powerful huldufólk in Lazytown!"  
The dark sludge slid through Robbie's blood vessels and spilled into his heart. He cried out, clutching his chest. Within seconds, his delicate wings shriveled, and Robbie plummeted to the ground.

* * *

The skogsfru burst from the soil at the edge of the woods, seething with anger. She had felt the trees cry out as the half-breed obliterated them, and the scent of smoke was heavy in the air.  
"How dare he destroy my servants!"  
She clenched her fists, itching to return to the clearing and punish her opponent. Forcing herself away from the forest, the skogsfru turned her attention to the town.  
"At least I can finally have the satisfaction of demolishing this blemish on my land."  
She stepped onto the children's playing field and dug her toes into the tender soil.  
"Hmm. It will not be my best work, but for the humans, it will do."  
The skogsfru has just begun to raise another golem when an chilling growl sounded from behind. She froze, save for the fur on the back of her neck standing on end.  
She had forgotten about the elf.  
Before the skogsfru could even turn around, Sportacus tackled her to the ground.  
"Aaaaugh!"  
Something in her face snapped upon contact with the ground, and she cried out again, in pain instead of fear, but the elf was relentless. His claws ripped into the flesh of her shoulders, and agonizingly made there way down through her back. The skogsfru's dress fell open to reveal a hollow, characteristic of a huldra, wooden in appearance to show her connection to the forest.  
Sportacus plunged his hand inside. Warm blood welled up around his fingers, but he pressed forward until he felt something firm pulsating in his palm. He dug in his claws and ripped the still-beating heart out through her hollow back. Crimson fluid spurted wildly as skogsfru convulsed. Finally, she fell limp, blood trickling from her nose and mouth. The elf sat back on his haunches and let it a roar. It rang through the air, as if alerting the world to his triumph. With that, Sportacus dropped the skogsfru's heart and loped back into the charcoal remains of the forest.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N:** **Major body horror and gore in this chapter, folks!**

Chapter 6

Mayor Meanswell stared out from the town hall, scanning the distance for any sign of movement. The thick blanket of smoke over the forest obscured everything outside of Lazytown. He sighed, stepping back from the window.  
"Still nothing?"  
Milford turned to see Bessie standing in the doorway.  
"I'm afraid so."  
"Y-you don't suppose..."  
She trailed off midsentence, fidgeting with the ruffle on her shirt. The mayor looked at her for a moment before returning to the window.  
"At this point? I don't suppose—I know. First, there was all that odd lightning, and now there's smoke everywhere, and they still haven't come back even though Sportacus said this shouldn't take long!"  
Surprised at his own hysteria, the mayor quickly lowered his voice.  
"Something's definitely wrong."  
"What do we do?"  
Seeing Bessie's nervous gaze brought back Milford's previous feeling of being overwhelmed, trapped in a world that no longer made sense. He couldn't stand this paralyzing powerlessness any longer.  
"I'm going after them."  
"Milford!"  
Bessie gripped the mayor firmly by the shoulders.  
"It's too dangerous—you know that! Besides, the town needs you here!"  
"There are two townsfolk out there who need me as well."  
With a quiet determination, Milford brushed past Bessie and strode out the door.  
The mayor's confidence held out as he made his way through Lazytown, but he felt it waver when he made it to the edge of the clearing. The ground was treacherously uneven and littered with branches. All that remained of the surrounding trees were glowing embers and hollow husks. A terrible stench hung in the air, mixed with the smell of smoke. Nervously, the mayor called out.  
"Sportacus!"  
No one emerged from the trees, but something purple and black on the ground caught Milford's eye. He cautiously step closer, and saw it was made of silky fabric, scorched by the fire, but intact.  
"Mr. Rotten's bathrobe..."  
He picked it up and folded it over his arm before picking his way across the clearing toward the woods.  
"Mr. Rotten! Sportacus!"  
There was still no response, but the smell, like spoiled eggs mixed with maple syrup, seemed to be getting stronger. Milford glanced down and realized he had been tracking a brackish liquid. He retraced his gooey footprints back to a rust-colored puddle, seeping out from under a fallen log. The stench was overpowering.  
His trepidation growing, the mayor picked up the burnt log and hefted it off to the side. The repulsive scent, simultaneously foul and sickly sweet, shot up his nostrils. Milford staggered back, clutching his stomach.  
After a moment, the churning in his guts slowed, and he felt safe to investigate. He crept back, and his eyes fell upon the source of the smell.  
Robbie Rotten was facedown in a pool of dark blood and necrotic tissue. More of the slop slowly trickled from his mouth and from underneath his fingernails. All the skin up to his elbows was miscolored and shriveled, and the stained blood vessels extended even further. Most horrifying of all, the fallen log had torn a hole between Robbie's crumpled wings; with the rot having opened the wound further, Milford could see straight down to his spine, and even caught a glimpse of his blackened organs laboriously pulsating.  
"Oh God!"  
Bile rose into the mayor's throat, and he vomited, letting the contents of his stomach join the vile mixture on the ground. After the flood of vomit finally ceased, he slumped against a burnt tree.  
"I can't...I can't do this. I'm not a hero—I'm not a elf! I don't know what to do!"  
Milford closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths. After a moment, his panicked thoughts cleared. He looked to the sky.  
"But no other help is coming..."  
He risked a glance at Robbie. The sight made him gag, but nothing else came up from his aching stomach. Unfolding the bathrobe, he forced himself to move closer.  
"I'm not a hero, but I am Lazytown's mayor. Maybe I can't fix this, but I'll be damned if I'm not going to try!"  
With that, Milford draped the robe over Robbie's mangled form, taking care not to touch the rotting flesh. He scooped up the body and with a grunt, threw it over his shoulder. No sooner had he gotten Robbie into position then did a slew of foul liquid flood from the hole in the fae's back. The mayor shuddered as he felt it soak through the robe and onto his jacket.  
"Well, at least he's a bit lighter now."

* * *

"Milford!"  
Bessie pounded on the mayor's door, worry creasing her brow. She had spotted him trudging home from her perch in town hall, but even after several minutes of knocking, he still hadn't responded.  
"Come now, Milford, I know you're in there!"  
Her knocking turned into pounding as her frustration increased.  
"Ugh!"  
Finally, Bessie slumped against the door in defeat. Her stomach twisted into knots as her mind flew through possible explanations, each worse than the last. Milford was kind-hearted, but terribly naive, a fact she knew better than most. Suddenly, Bessie perked up.  
"Perhaps he's just naive enough..."  
She bent down and ripped Milford's welcome mat from the step; sure enough, a spare key sat on the step.  
"Of course. I'll have to talk to him about safety later."  
Nonetheless grateful for the mayor's trusting tendencies, Bessie fumbled to get the door unlocked and hurried inside. She spotted him slumped in his chair, head buried in his hands.  
"Now, listen here Milford! I know we had a disagreement about how to act, but there's no need to lock me out—all I want to do is offer help!"  
He gave no response, or even a sign of having heard her; Bessie's temper flared.  
"Well?! At least look at me!"  
Roughly, she grabbed his hands, but without the support, Milford's head fell forward. The rest of his body quickly followed, and he crashed to the floor.  
"Milford!"  
Bessie rolled the mayor onto his back. With his closed eyes and his pale and bloodless face, she could have mistaken him for a corpse. Only a faint fluttering of the eyelids hinted that Milford was still alive, but it was enough to give Bessie hope. She firmly took the fat of his cheek between her fingernails and gave it a hard pinch. The pain elicited a gasp from the mayor, and with great effort, he opened his eyes.  
"M-Ms. Busybody...?"  
She sighed with relief.  
"Yes, it's me. Listen carefully, Milford: I'm going to put my hand on your belly, and I want you to breathe deeply enough to make it rise."  
The mayor's eyes fell shut, but he struggled to comply. After a minute or so, his shallow gasps ceased, replaced by steady breathing.  
"You're doing great, Milford. Now, try to sit up—I'll help support your head."  
Slowly, she and the mayor got him to an upright position. Milford's eyes opened again, looking clearer than before. Once she was sure he wouldn't fall backward, Bessie moved her hands to take his, and began applying pressure to his clammy digits. After a quiet moment, Bessie's curiosity bubbled over.  
"What happened to you? Did you see anyone?"  
He didn't answer right away, cringing at the memory of what he had seen—what he had _smelled_. Finally, the mayor found his voice.  
"Bessie...I think I had better just show you."  
He gingerly got to his feet, swaying slightly. Once he was sure he wouldn't fall, Milford waved for Bessie to follow, and began trudging upstairs. He stopped at the spare bedroom, but hesitated at the door.  
"I don't think anything I can say would fully prepare you for this. Just brace yourself—and try not to breathe through your nose."  
Grimly, Milford swung open the door to reveal Robbie's mangled body lying facedown on the bed. The robe, thankfully, still covered the worst of the damage, but there was still something obviously unnatural in the pallor of his skin and the contortion of his features. Even with both windows open, the stench of decay still hung heavily in the air.  
Eyes wide with terror, Bessie stared at the gruesome scene until she could take it no longer; she tore her gaze away, and backed into the hallway to catch her breath. After a quick glance at Robbie, Milford closed the door. Bessie swallowed hard, having to fight her gag reflex in order to speak.  
"Is...is he dead?"  
"No. His organs are still, er, trying to work. Also, I think his magic is still active."  
"How do you know that?"  
Milford took a moment to respond, unconsciously putting a finger to his chin.  
"When I was carrying Mr. Rotten, I kept feeling weaker and weaker. Plus, my fingers and toes went numb. Then, right after I put him down, I only just got away before collapsing completely. I think that his magic was doing something to me—sapping my energy to try to heal himself. Not intentionally, I should hope, but perhaps instinctively. If you hadn't come when you did..."  
Milford trailed off, fidgeting nervously with his watch. He had to take a shaky breath before speaking again.  
"Stephanie is still at Pixel's house, fortunately, but I don't know what I'll do when she comes home. This door doesn't even lock, and she can be so curious."  
Bessie remained silent, needing time to process everything. Finally, another question popped into her head.  
"What about Sportacus?"  
"There wasn't any sign of him in the clearing. I don't know how I'll explain that to Stephanie, either—or for that matter, to the rest of Lazytown."  
A terrible thought came to Bessie at the mention of the clearing.  
"That creature—the skogsfru. Do you think it's still here?"  
"If it were, I feel like it would have made itself known by now, considering how much it attacked before. They must have driven it away."  
Milford chuckled darkly.  
"We won."  
Bessie's mind provided the words Milford was too scared to say aloud: at what cost?


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: I know it's been awhile, and I'm sorry for that. Real life was kicking my butt. Hopefully an extra-long chapter will help make up for the long absence!**

Chapter 7  
"Uncle Milford?"  
The sound of Stephanie coming home was usually welcome, but that night, it made Mayor Meanswell stiffen in his chair. He responded with a tremor in his tone.  
"Um, hello, Stephanie."  
"Are Sportacus and Robbie back yet?"  
"Well...yes."  
Milford visibly cringed. Lying to his sweet niece seemed so cruel, but she was so young and innocent, telling her the truth would be crueler.  
"They need time to...rest. Yes, rest and recover. Just for a little while."  
"Oh, ok."  
Her shoulders fell, but Stephanie seemed satisfied. She gave her uncle a brief hug before trudging toward her room. Suddenly, the girl's nostrils began to burn; she had to pull her shirt up over her nose and mouth to breath with the intense stench of bleach hanging in the air.  
"Whew! Did this place really need to be so clean, Uncle Milford?"  
The mayor leapt out of his chair and scrambled toward Stephanie. She tensed, seeing the look on his face.  
"Uncle, what's wrong?"  
"N-nothing! There's nothing to worry about."  
Milford forced himself to take a deep breath, and plastered on a too-wide grin.  
"Just some early spring cleaning, that's all!"  
With an eyebrow raised, Stephanie glanced down to the end of the hall, and noticed that the door of their guest bedroom was closed.  
"Is someone staying with us?"  
Swallowing hard, Milford positioned himself between his niece and the rest of the hallway.  
"Yes, actually. Um, I offered Mr. Rotten the guest room for his recovery. His home is...well, it's not the best environment for that sort of thing."  
Stephanie nodded, thinking of the strange sounds that often emanated from Robbie's lair.  
"I don't suppose I could visit him?"  
"NO!"  
Shocked, the girl took a step back. She had never heard her uncle use that tone of voice before. Milford inhaled shakily, trying to regain control.  
"I'm sorry, Stephanie, I didn't mean to shout. But you must not go into that room, do you hear me? Don't even go near it."  
"Ok..."  
"Promise me, Stephanie!"  
"I—I promise!"  
Milford scrutinized her expression, and saw only sincerity. Suddenly, he fell to one knee and wrapped his arms around his niece. Stephanie was surprised, but returned the hug. She could faintly hear him mumbling, talking more to himself than her.  
"Hold onto your innocence, my dear, for as long as you can."  
Finally, Milford released her, and turned to walk back to the living room. She stared for a moment with a knotted brow, then went to her room and quietly shut the door.  
Days later, children of Lazytown sat dejectedly in the treehouse, save for Trixie, who paced back and forth.  
"I swear, the grownups are hiding something!"  
Stephanie followed the agitated girl with her gaze and sighed.  
"Trixie, I think you're making a big deal out of nothing."  
"Or maybe you're being too calm about a big problem! I mean, come on—Sportacus wouldn't ditch us for this long on purpose, and Robbie Rotten hasn't tried a scheme in nearly a week!"  
"She's got a point, Steph."  
Staring at his computer-watch, Pixel clarified.  
"Enough time has passed for an adult human to regain their strength and be well into the healing process for minor injuries, but we still haven't seen or heard from either of them. If it were just Robbie, then it would make more sense, but Sportacus...it's not like him to ignore us."  
Silence fell in the treehouse as everyone took this in. Finally, Stingy spoke up.  
"Do you think they're really badly hurt, and that's why it's taking so long?"  
Pixel nodded gravely, making Ziggy whimper. Crossing her arms, Stephanie stood up and faced her friends.  
"My uncle told me that Robbie and Sportacus were ok, and I believe him. Things will be back to normal soon, I know it!"  
"Stephanie...what if he lied?"  
The moment the words left her mouth, Trixie wished she could take them back so she wouldn't have to see Stephanie's face fall. It did fall, however, and the rest of the girl slumped back to the floor. Pixel and Stingy looked at her with sympathy, but soon cast their gazes down. Ziggy continued to hold back tears.  
"I miss Sportacus."  
Wordlessly, Stephanie scooted over and wrapped the boy in a hug. He let the tears fall.

* * *

The elf, curled in his hastily-dug burrow, opened his eyes. The sun was finally setting, and it was time to continue his search. He sat on his haunches, nose in the air, desperate for a whiff of his scent.  
The one he had sworn to protect.  
The one who he would have as his mate.  
There was just a trace of a sugary smell in the air, but it was enough for the elf. He loped on all fours in the direction of the scent. It got stronger as he approached a clearing, and the elf put on a burst of speed.  
Suddenly, he stopped. The sugar smell here was mixed with that of rot. Letting out a whine, the elf crawled around the clearing. He could detect his own scent, as well as that of the one who had threatened his mate. A growl started in his throat, but he wasn't distracted from his task.  
He cautiously approached several foul puddles on the ground. They stank of rot—and of his mate. The combination made his heart ache, and elicited a mournful howl. Frantically, the elf doubled his efforts, desperate for a sign that his mate was still alive. He stopped at another puddle, different from the others. There was a new scent present alongside that of his mate. More sniffing nearby revealed a trail that led out of the clearing.  
His mate had been here, and someone had taken him away.  
"Screeeee!"  
The elf keened as he dashed out of the clearing and toward the town.  
In Lazytown, the children were just putting away their sports equipment from the day's activities.  
"Was anyone else hoping that Sportacus would show up to join in? Or that Robbie would try to stop us?"  
The others nodded in response to Pixel's query. Stephanie's shoulders slumped.  
"It's just not the same without—"  
"Look!"  
At Stingy's yell, all the kids snapped to attention. A blond-headed figure far down the path was running toward them.  
"Is that—"  
"Sportacus!"  
Cheers erupted from the children as they sprinted toward the hero. Trixie ran with the others, but as they got closer, her smile faded. Sportacus was still wearing the leather armor he had on when he left, save for the boots. His feet, as well has his hands and head, were bare. Rust-colored stains covered his clothing, skin, and hair. Strangest of all, instead of his usual perfect posture, the hero was hunched over, not even looking at them.  
"Guys, wait!"  
She grabbed Stingy and Pixel by their arms.  
"Hey, let go!"  
Stephanie stopped in her tracks to look back.  
"Trixie, what are you doing?!"  
"Something's not right here!"  
The kids followed Trixie's gaze to Sportacus. Stephanie's eyes widened.  
"Is...is that blood?"  
As they stared down the path, they realized that the youngest member of the group hadn't stopped.  
"Ziggy, come back!"  
So intent on reaching Sportacus, the blond boy didn't pay any attention to the cries behind him. The other kids looked at each other fearfully before taking off after him.  
"Ziggy, STOP!"  
Still deaf to their warnings, Ziggy skidded to a stop right in front of Sportacus. The others held their breath, but the elf didn't even seem to notice the child in his path.  
"Sportacus! Oh, I missed you so much! I was eating lots and lots of sportscandy when you were gone so I'd have a ton energy to play when you got back!"  
Ziggy closed the gap between them and threw his arms around the hero's waist.  
"SKREEEEE!"  
The children clapped their hands over their ears, but their eyes were wide. In one swift movement, Sportacus has torn Ziggy off his waist and pinned him to the ground. The child was frozen stiff with fear, staring into Sportacus's black eyes. The elf showed sharp, blood-stained teeth as he hovered above Ziggy's throat and tensed in preparation to strike.  
Suddenly, the elf stopped and inhaled deeply. He let out a low, guttural sound that made Ziggy's breath catch in his throat. Sportacus approached the child again, but instead of baring his teeth, he stuck out his tongue and dragged it across Ziggy's hairline. With that, the elf leapt off the boy and started again toward town.  
As he left, Sportacus still taste Ziggy on his tongue, and was glad for the reminder. With his cub's scent almost completely masked by the stench of preservatives, he would need to give him a thorough grooming later.  
The children stared after the running elf in shock. Then, they turned their gazes to the boy on the ground.  
"Ziggy? Are you ok?"  
"I...I think so."  
He swabbed at his face with his sleeve.  
"Eww."  
Trixie hauled Ziggy to his feet and helped dust him off.  
"I think we'd better go tell the mayor that Sportacus is back."  
"And that he's gone nuts!"  
Pixel squinted toward the town. Tapping his goggles, he zoomed in on the elf.  
"...I don't think we'll have to."  
The other four children turned to Pixel; his face was pale and bloodless.  
"Sportacus is in front your house, Stephanie. He's-he's clawing down the door!"  
The pink-haired girl gasped.  
"Uncle Milford!"  
Before anyone could stop her, she had zoomed down the path, making a beeline for her house. Stephanie reached the door just as the elf broke in, and she followed him inside. Tears obscured her vision, but she could make out her uncle in the kitchen, cowering under the intruder's gaze.  
"Sportacus, it's me, Stephanie! Please don't hurt Uncle Milord!"  
He glared at the girl over his shoulder; she shivered as she met his black, cold eyes. To her relief, Sportacus turned away from her uncle to leap over the counter, making a beeline for the guest bedroom. Stephanie rushed to Mayor Meanswell and threw her arms around him. The two clung to each other as crashes sounded from the hall. Neither dared to move when Sportacus came back into view, dragging Robbie Rotten's decaying corpse behind him.  
Sportacus emerged from the house, Robbie in tow. With surprising gentleness, he laid the fae facedown on the Mayor's front lawn. Blue light gathered in the elf's hand as he waved it above Robbie's back. Suddenly, Sportacus stilled his hand above the gaping hole between the fae's wings. As he clenched his fingers, Robbie's flesh and skin crept back together, closing the oozing wound. The elf was shaking profusely, as if his hand were an iron weight, but he clenched his teeth and continued to heal Robbie. With one final burst of energy, Sportacus closed the hole and brought his hand down on the new skin. An intense blue light blinded the townsfolk who has dared to watch the ordeal. By the time their vision cleared, all of the plants within ten feet of Robbie had rotted, and the fae himself had opened his eyes.  
The onlookers stood frozen as Robbie slowly raised himself off the ground, pale and sickly but alive.  
"Ugh, I feel like I've been hit by a train. What happened?"  
Robbie's voice cut through Sportacus's clouded mind, and the elf blinked rapidly. As his eyes returned to normal, so did his perception of the world. Robbie wasn't his mate, the kids weren't his cubs, and the mayor wasn't his enemy! What had he been thinking?!  
Sportacus cleared his throat, and the children flinched at the guttural sound. The explanation he had been preparing died in his throat. What had he _done_?!  
"Kids, I'm so sorry! I—I don't know what came over me!"  
The children stared back in stony silence. Sportacus felt tears pricking at his eyes when the mayor finally stepped forward.  
"Sportacus..."  
He took a deep breath, struggling to remove the tremor from his voice.  
"I'll be expecting you in town hall tomorrow. We need to discuss this."  
The elf hung his head.  
"Yes sir."  
"In the meantime, I request that everyone return to their homes. Mr. Rotten, if you feel you haven't fully recovered, you are welcome to spend another night in my guest bedroom."  
"Um, thanks. But if it's all the same to you, I'd rather get back to my lair."  
Robbie got to his feet. He felt a cool breeze on his thighs and cringed.  
"And get some clothes that aren't made of leaves!"  
Covering as much of his chest as he could with his arms, the fae ran out of the town without looking back. The other townsfolk, previously as still as statues, began to disperse. They too avoided looking at the elf.  
Finally, Sportacus stood alone. Exhaustion hit him like a ton of bricks, and he had to force his legs to carry him toward his airship. It lit up at his arrival, but the AI knew enough to remain silent when its elf was in this state.  
Sportacus manually guided the ship into the sky. When it was as far above Lazytown as physically possible, he set it to remain at the current altitude and left the pilot seat. Through the glass cockpit, the elf watched the town he had terrorized.  
Then, tears blurred his vision, and he could watch no more.

 **A/N: Thank you everyone who has read, reviewed, and left kudos! A sequel is in the works, and I hope you'll stick around!**


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